A podcast for those who are different and want to make a difference.
March 27, 2024

The Equal Rights Amendment: Why Hasn't the US Constitution Caught Up with the World? with Lori Adams-Brown

The Equal Rights Amendment: Why Hasn't the US Constitution Caught Up with the World? with Lori Adams-Brown

Did you know that the Equal Rights Amendment, aimed at guaranteeing equal rights regardless of sex, has not yet been enshrined in the US Constitution? It's a surprising reality, especially when considering the global efforts for women's equality. In this episode, we'll uncover the resilience, setbacks, and ongoing advocacy surrounding the ERA in the United States, while also delving into the international bill of rights for women known as CEDAW. But here's the kicker - despite strides made through international efforts, disparities persist, underscoring the need for continued advocacy and support. Join us as we unravel the surprising history and explore what can be done to champion gender equality. This is a call to action for making a real difference in the fight for women's rights. Stay tuned for an eye-opening revelation that will spark your curiosity and inspire you to take action.

Did you know that the Equal Rights Amendment, aimed at guaranteeing equal rights regardless of sex, has not yet been enshrined in the US Constitution? It's a surprising reality, especially when considering the global efforts for women's equality. In this episode, we'll uncover the resilience, setbacks, and ongoing advocacy surrounding the ERA in the United States, while also delving into the international bill of rights for women known as CEDAW. But here's the kicker - despite strides made through international efforts, disparities persist, underscoring the need for continued advocacy and support. Join us as we unravel the surprising history and explore what can be done to champion gender equality. This is a call to action for making a real difference in the fight for women's rights. Stay tuned for an eye-opening revelation that will spark your curiosity and inspire you to take action.

In this episode, you will be able to:

  • Discover the transformative benefits of therapy for personal growth and empowerment.
  • Uncover the profound impact and historical significance of the Equal Rights Amendment.
  • Explore the global efforts and impact of CEDAW in advancing women's equality worldwide.
  • Learn about the pivotal role of grassroots campaigns in driving political movements for gender equality.
  • Understand the vital importance of voting for advocates of gender equality in creating lasting change.
It's time. It's 2024, and all these other countries around the world have signed the CEDAW agreement, and the United States still hasn't. And also, we don't have an ERA for our own constitution, so what can we do? - Lori Adams Brown

Global efforts of CEDAW

The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) is an international treaty that aims to end discrimination against women in all forms. Global efforts under CEDAW highlight the importance of gender equality and the need for legislative measures to protect and promote women's rights. Supporting CEDAW initiatives can contribute to creating a more just and equal society for all individuals.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

  • Visit www.betterhelp.com/difference to get 10% off your first month of therapy.
  • Donate to Justice Revival at www.justicerevival.org/donate to contribute to initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality, including efforts to promote the ratification of the ERA and uphold the principles of CEDAW.
  • Join the #Faith4ERA campaign at Justice Revival with any faith community to bring your experience and perspective around the movement for women's rights.
  • Join the Difference Maker community at www.patreon.com/aworldofdifferences to access exclusive episodes, interact with exclusive posts, share your thoughts, and influence the direction of the podcast.
  • Support organizations dedicated to the cause of gender equality, such as Justice Revival, by donating and standing in solidarity with women everywhere to ensure that the promise of equality becomes a reality for all.
  •  

Human rights, women's rights, which are human rights, is so important. There's a lot of things we can get wrong, but that should just be a basic foundation. - Lori Adams Brown

Impactful Equal Rights Amendment

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the US aims to constitutionally guarantee equal rights under the law for all genders. Despite facing hurdles and delays, the ERA remains critical in advancing gender equality and ensuring fair treatment for all individuals. Advocating for the ratification of the ERA is essential to promoting equal rights and opportunities for women and girls.

Together, we can come together with our differences, male allies, women on behalf of our daughters and granddaughters and future generations, but also for us now.

- Lori Adams Brown

 

The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:02 - Introducing the Podcast and ERA

 

00:02:29 - The History of the ERA

 

00:06:06 - Global Efforts for Gender Equality

 

00:09:12 - Overcoming Obstacles and Call to Action

 

00:13:42 - Faith for ERA Campaign

 

00:14:59 - Call to Action for Women's Rights

 

00:15:46 - Enshrining Women and Girls' Rights

 

00:16:17 - Special Invitation to Join the Community

 

00:16:59 - Making a Positive Impact

 

The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:02 - Introducing the Podcast and ERA

 

00:02:29 - The History of the ERA

 

00:06:06 - Global Efforts for Gender Equality

 

00:09:12 - Overcoming Obstacles and Call to Action

 

00:13:42 - Faith for ERA Campaign

 

00:14:59 - Call to Action for Women's Rights

 

00:15:46 - Enshrining Women and Girls' Rights

 

00:16:17 - Special Invitation to Join the Community

 

00:16:59 - Making a Positive Impact

 

 

Follow the podcast at:

 

Join our Difference Maker membership community for a ton of exclusive content for as little as $5/month. (The price of your a latte at your local coffee shop to enjoy a whole month of content.) Lori's Travel Tips are included as well as exclusive minisodes with our guests not available anywhere else. Join for deeper conversations and a little fun today at https://www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference

Keep making a difference wherever you are!

Lori Adams-Brown, Host & Executive Producer

A World of Difference Podcast

Transcript
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,462
Welcome to the a World of Difference

2
00:00:04,462 --> 00:00:06,662
podcast. I'm Lori Adams Brown, and this is

3
00:00:06,662 --> 00:00:08,558
a podcast for those who are different and

4
00:00:08,558 --> 00:00:12,278
want to make a difference. This podcast is

5
00:00:12,278 --> 00:00:15,014
sponsored by better help. If you are a

6
00:00:15,014 --> 00:00:18,078
person who really wants to understand what

7
00:00:18,078 --> 00:00:19,990
your strengths are, maybe you're not going

8
00:00:19,990 --> 00:00:21,630
through anything huge in your life.

9
00:00:21,630 --> 00:00:24,222
Therapy is not just for those who are in

10
00:00:24,222 --> 00:00:26,476
crisis, although it's definitely for that.

11
00:00:26,476 --> 00:00:28,904
But therapy is also a place where you're

12
00:00:28,904 --> 00:00:31,540
just stepping into your own skin, figuring

13
00:00:31,540 --> 00:00:33,540
out who you are, what it is you're

14
00:00:33,540 --> 00:00:36,140
offering to the world around us, and how

15
00:00:36,140 --> 00:00:38,372
you're making the world a better place.

16
00:00:38,372 --> 00:00:40,260
Betterhelp is here to help you with that,

17
00:00:40,260 --> 00:00:43,460
and I have really benefited by deep work,

18
00:00:43,460 --> 00:00:45,084
understanding myself a little bit better.

19
00:00:45,084 --> 00:00:48,044
And I know many people have benefited from

20
00:00:48,044 --> 00:00:50,172
this resource, and that's why I'm proud to

21
00:00:50,172 --> 00:00:52,346
say they are a sponsor of this podcast. So

22
00:00:52,346 --> 00:00:54,346
if you are a person who could benefit from

23
00:00:54,346 --> 00:00:56,930
talking with a professional about anything

24
00:00:56,930 --> 00:00:59,234
going on in your life, I encourage you to

25
00:00:59,234 --> 00:01:02,226
stop by at betterhelp. And the link I'm

26
00:01:02,226 --> 00:01:04,730
offering you today will give you 10% off

27
00:01:04,730 --> 00:01:06,938
your first month. And so hopefully that'll

28
00:01:06,938 --> 00:01:09,082
make a difference in your purse and pocket

29
00:01:09,082 --> 00:01:14,410
and wallet and bank account. So go to

30
00:01:14,410 --> 00:01:16,162
www.betterhelp.com difference today to get

31
00:01:16,162 --> 00:01:18,402
10% off your first month of therapy. That

32
00:01:18,402 --> 00:01:23,082
is www.betterhelp.com difference to get

33
00:01:23,082 --> 00:01:25,258
10% off your first month today. Welcome to

34
00:01:25,258 --> 00:01:28,202
a World of Difference podcast, this end of

35
00:01:28,202 --> 00:01:30,234
Women's History Month, where we are

36
00:01:30,234 --> 00:01:33,218
looking back over this month and

37
00:01:33,218 --> 00:01:35,002
recognizing the incredible women that have

38
00:01:35,002 --> 00:01:36,730
been on this podcast, not only over the

39
00:01:36,730 --> 00:01:39,458
past month, but also over the last year.

40
00:01:39,458 --> 00:01:41,066
And when I think about women around the

41
00:01:41,066 --> 00:01:44,362
world, it's truly inspiring what women are

42
00:01:44,362 --> 00:01:46,746
achieving. And it's also important to look

43
00:01:46,746 --> 00:01:49,842
back over history to find out what

44
00:01:49,842 --> 00:01:51,906
mistakes were made, what obstacles were

45
00:01:51,906 --> 00:01:54,730
overcome or not overcome yet. And in light

46
00:01:54,730 --> 00:01:57,066
of that, today I'm going to be talking

47
00:01:57,066 --> 00:01:59,050
about not only walking through the annals

48
00:01:59,050 --> 00:02:00,914
of history, uncovering stories that shape

49
00:02:00,914 --> 00:02:03,854
our world, which we often do here, but

50
00:02:03,854 --> 00:02:06,890
today we are going to embark on a point of

51
00:02:06,890 --> 00:02:08,922
exploration of the Equal Rights Amendment

52
00:02:08,922 --> 00:02:12,137
here in the United States, alongside a

53
00:02:12,137 --> 00:02:14,193
comparative reflection on the global

54
00:02:14,193 --> 00:02:16,345
efforts for women's equality, including

55
00:02:16,345 --> 00:02:18,761
the Convention on the Elimination of all

56
00:02:18,761 --> 00:02:21,449
forms of discrimination against women. C e

57
00:02:21,449 --> 00:02:25,105
d a w. So buckle up. We are going to go

58
00:02:25,105 --> 00:02:27,137
for a ride today throughout history to

59
00:02:27,137 --> 00:02:29,425
find out what the obstacles were and why.

60
00:02:29,425 --> 00:02:31,721
Until today, the Equal Rights Amendment

61
00:02:31,721 --> 00:02:33,625
has not yet been passed in the United

62
00:02:33,625 --> 00:02:36,793
States. So if that is news to you, this

63
00:02:36,793 --> 00:02:38,049
podcast will hopefully make a difference

64
00:02:38,049 --> 00:02:40,129
in your life and give you a different

65
00:02:40,129 --> 00:02:41,705
perspective on what it really means to

66
00:02:41,705 --> 00:02:44,834
have equal rights and why that has not yet

67
00:02:44,834 --> 00:02:47,654
fully happened in the US and the US

68
00:02:47,654 --> 00:02:55,402
Constitution. The history of the era in

69
00:02:55,402 --> 00:02:58,266
the United States is one marked by

70
00:02:58,266 --> 00:03:01,174
resilience, setbacks, and ongoing

71
00:03:01,174 --> 00:03:06,418
advocacy. In the year 1920, the many women

72
00:03:06,418 --> 00:03:08,362
had fought for the right to vote here in

73
00:03:08,362 --> 00:03:09,930
the United States, where I'm recording

74
00:03:09,930 --> 00:03:12,534
this podcast here in Los Angeles,

75
00:03:12,534 --> 00:03:15,642
California. But it's also important to

76
00:03:15,642 --> 00:03:17,586
note that even though the right to vote is

77
00:03:17,586 --> 00:03:19,858
enshrined in the US constitution, thanks

78
00:03:19,858 --> 00:03:22,706
to the work of many, many people over many

79
00:03:22,706 --> 00:03:25,050
years, until today, the era, the equal

80
00:03:25,050 --> 00:03:26,674
Rights amendment has not been enshrined in

81
00:03:26,674 --> 00:03:28,482
the constitution, which may be a shock to

82
00:03:28,482 --> 00:03:29,994
many of you around the world listening,

83
00:03:29,994 --> 00:03:32,282
whether you are a US citizen here in the

84
00:03:32,282 --> 00:03:34,482
US or living abroad, or a citizen of any

85
00:03:34,482 --> 00:03:36,834
of the other 92 countries that listen to

86
00:03:36,834 --> 00:03:40,398
this podcast. If you have always assumed

87
00:03:40,398 --> 00:03:42,102
equal rights were enshrined in the US

88
00:03:42,102 --> 00:03:43,302
constitution, today we're going to unpack

89
00:03:43,302 --> 00:03:44,974
a little of the history as to why that

90
00:03:44,974 --> 00:03:47,166
hasn't happened. Many of you know I sit on

91
00:03:47,166 --> 00:03:50,614
the board of a nonprofit in DC called

92
00:03:50,614 --> 00:03:52,918
Justice Revival, and we have been working

93
00:03:52,918 --> 00:03:55,142
to pass the Equal Rights Amendment,

94
00:03:55,142 --> 00:03:56,990
working in cooperation with others in the

95
00:03:56,990 --> 00:03:59,886
ERA coalition to help get this ushered in.

96
00:03:59,886 --> 00:04:02,302
Very soon, because it's way past time,

97
00:04:02,302 --> 00:04:03,438
we're going to dig a little into the

98
00:04:03,438 --> 00:04:06,986
history today. The ERA was actually

99
00:04:06,986 --> 00:04:09,738
proposed in 1923 by a suffragist named

100
00:04:09,738 --> 00:04:11,882
Alice Paul. Many of you have probably

101
00:04:11,882 --> 00:04:13,666
heard of the Seneca Falls convention in

102
00:04:13,666 --> 00:04:16,178
New York. That was 100 years ago last

103
00:04:16,178 --> 00:04:18,010
year. And if you'll go back and listen, in

104
00:04:18,010 --> 00:04:20,322
March of last year, I had Alison McKinney

105
00:04:20,322 --> 00:04:22,898
on. She's a lawyer, and she founded

106
00:04:22,898 --> 00:04:25,746
Justice Revival. She was at the 100th

107
00:04:25,746 --> 00:04:29,986
anniversary of the era and at Seneca Falls

108
00:04:29,986 --> 00:04:32,690
revisiting that location. And she spoke

109
00:04:32,690 --> 00:04:35,460
about her work with the era last year in

110
00:04:35,460 --> 00:04:36,796
March on the podcast. So go back and

111
00:04:36,796 --> 00:04:38,428
listen to that episode for more

112
00:04:38,428 --> 00:04:40,108
information from her point of view and her

113
00:04:40,108 --> 00:04:42,332
different perspective. But it's important

114
00:04:42,332 --> 00:04:45,104
to note that in 1923, suffragist Alice

115
00:04:45,104 --> 00:04:49,732
Paul did bring this era to the United

116
00:04:49,732 --> 00:04:51,996
States and to the government, and the ERA

117
00:04:51,996 --> 00:04:53,948
basically aimed to constitutionally

118
00:04:53,948 --> 00:04:55,924
guarantee equal rights under the law,

119
00:04:55,924 --> 00:04:59,176
regardless of sex. After decades of

120
00:04:59,176 --> 00:05:02,248
tirelessly painting by women's rights

121
00:05:02,248 --> 00:05:04,376
activists, though, the erA was finally

122
00:05:04,376 --> 00:05:08,280
passed by Congress in 1972. However, it

123
00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:10,056
fell short of ratification, failing to

124
00:05:10,056 --> 00:05:12,504
meet the required number of states by the

125
00:05:12,504 --> 00:05:14,768
1982 deadline. Now, there's a lot of

126
00:05:14,768 --> 00:05:16,448
information around this deadline and some

127
00:05:16,448 --> 00:05:18,152
of the arbitrary nature of the deadlines

128
00:05:18,152 --> 00:05:20,480
that have been imposed on the era, and

129
00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,032
many, many conversations around that. But

130
00:05:23,032 --> 00:05:26,778
all of the history has evolved into the

131
00:05:26,778 --> 00:05:28,706
amendment actually going above and beyond

132
00:05:28,706 --> 00:05:31,394
what needs to happen for it to be fully

133
00:05:31,394 --> 00:05:33,386
enshrined in the constitution. In fact,

134
00:05:33,386 --> 00:05:34,730
all that would really need to happen at

135
00:05:34,730 --> 00:05:36,514
this point is for the archivist to just

136
00:05:36,514 --> 00:05:39,818
sign it in. President Biden could do

137
00:05:39,818 --> 00:05:42,146
something. There was some movement in 2020

138
00:05:42,146 --> 00:05:44,010
under the Trump administration that got

139
00:05:44,010 --> 00:05:47,466
thwarted during that time. But if you look

140
00:05:47,466 --> 00:05:50,354
into the history of the eRa, it's been one

141
00:05:50,354 --> 00:05:54,860
of both incredible activism as well as

142
00:05:54,860 --> 00:05:57,148
some significant obstacles and some very

143
00:05:57,148 --> 00:05:58,364
nuanced history. So we're going to dig

144
00:05:58,364 --> 00:06:00,796
into that a little bit, too. So while the

145
00:06:00,796 --> 00:06:03,044
ERA struggled for ratification

146
00:06:03,044 --> 00:06:04,580
domestically, the fight for gender

147
00:06:04,580 --> 00:06:07,060
equality continued globally. So

148
00:06:07,060 --> 00:06:08,556
organizations like the United nations have

149
00:06:08,556 --> 00:06:11,556
played a crucial role in advancing women's

150
00:06:11,556 --> 00:06:14,036
rights worldwide, notably through

151
00:06:14,036 --> 00:06:16,980
conventions like CEDAW that I mentioned

152
00:06:16,980 --> 00:06:21,444
earlier. Adopted in 1979, CEDAW is often

153
00:06:21,444 --> 00:06:23,420
hailed as an international bill of rights

154
00:06:23,420 --> 00:06:25,876
for women, aiming to eliminate

155
00:06:25,876 --> 00:06:27,796
discrimination against all women in all

156
00:06:27,796 --> 00:06:31,492
spheres of life. However, despite strides

157
00:06:31,492 --> 00:06:33,852
made through CEDAW and other international

158
00:06:33,852 --> 00:06:36,612
efforts, disparities persist in various

159
00:06:36,612 --> 00:06:38,196
parts of the world, underscoring the need

160
00:06:38,196 --> 00:06:41,388
for continued advocacy and support. So

161
00:06:41,388 --> 00:06:43,436
unequal pay is a big one, both here in the

162
00:06:43,436 --> 00:06:46,292
United States and many other countries.

163
00:06:46,292 --> 00:06:47,988
Limited access to education and

164
00:06:47,988 --> 00:06:49,692
healthcare. We see that in several

165
00:06:49,692 --> 00:06:51,858
countries around the world, and even here

166
00:06:51,858 --> 00:06:53,674
in the United States, there's some issues

167
00:06:53,674 --> 00:06:56,842
around some of that. And women continue to

168
00:06:56,842 --> 00:06:58,474
face systemic challenges that hinder their

169
00:06:58,474 --> 00:07:01,786
full participation and empowerment. So in

170
00:07:01,786 --> 00:07:03,810
light of that, it's interesting to note

171
00:07:03,810 --> 00:07:05,634
that some of the reasons I often get asked

172
00:07:05,634 --> 00:07:07,042
this question, I sit on the board of

173
00:07:07,042 --> 00:07:11,698
justice revival once again. And I, even

174
00:07:11,698 --> 00:07:13,954
earlier in March, by the time this airs,

175
00:07:13,954 --> 00:07:17,694
will have presented at the company where I

176
00:07:17,694 --> 00:07:20,910
work, a tech company in Silicon Valley, on

177
00:07:20,910 --> 00:07:22,414
the history of the Equal Rights Amendment

178
00:07:22,414 --> 00:07:25,022
for one of our global dei calls. And as

179
00:07:25,022 --> 00:07:27,622
always, you know, preparing through that

180
00:07:27,622 --> 00:07:29,262
presentation, I was reminded once again of

181
00:07:29,262 --> 00:07:31,318
some of the obstacles that really happened

182
00:07:31,318 --> 00:07:33,678
in the US history that thwarted the

183
00:07:33,678 --> 00:07:35,230
efforts for the Equal Rights Amendment to

184
00:07:35,230 --> 00:07:37,670
be passed. And so one of those is there

185
00:07:37,670 --> 00:07:41,582
was this person, whoher name is Phyllis

186
00:07:41,582 --> 00:07:44,294
Schlafly, and she, in the seventies and

187
00:07:44,294 --> 00:07:46,422
even some of the eighties, was very much

188
00:07:46,422 --> 00:07:49,526
involved in starting sort of a counter

189
00:07:49,526 --> 00:07:50,862
campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment.

190
00:07:50,862 --> 00:07:54,422
And she got many women around her very

191
00:07:54,422 --> 00:07:57,062
grassroots campaign, where she would call

192
00:07:57,062 --> 00:07:58,750
different women lists of women and get

193
00:07:58,750 --> 00:08:01,958
them to organize around baking, for

194
00:08:01,958 --> 00:08:03,918
example, baking pies or baking bread, and

195
00:08:03,918 --> 00:08:06,462
taking it to the offices of political

196
00:08:06,462 --> 00:08:08,990
officials who would be instrumental in

197
00:08:08,990 --> 00:08:11,398
ushering in the era and sort of helping to

198
00:08:11,398 --> 00:08:14,774
change their minds. And she also used a

199
00:08:14,774 --> 00:08:16,806
campaign that worked, unfortunately, very

200
00:08:16,806 --> 00:08:18,822
well. It was very fear based about what

201
00:08:18,822 --> 00:08:20,814
the outcomes, outcomes of the ERA would

202
00:08:20,814 --> 00:08:23,990
be, not necessarily based on research or

203
00:08:23,990 --> 00:08:26,854
data or any factual information, but very

204
00:08:26,854 --> 00:08:30,510
much creating a fear based reaction. And

205
00:08:30,510 --> 00:08:33,574
the marketing for it all was quite good.

206
00:08:33,574 --> 00:08:35,814
She had these badges that women would

207
00:08:35,814 --> 00:08:39,454
wear, and it said stop era. And it was

208
00:08:39,454 --> 00:08:42,926
very catchy, very easy to understand the

209
00:08:42,926 --> 00:08:44,558
direction of the movement, that it was

210
00:08:44,558 --> 00:08:46,942
about stopping something based on fear.

211
00:08:46,942 --> 00:08:50,358
And some of the outcomes that she was

212
00:08:50,358 --> 00:08:52,638
predicting would happen were things like

213
00:08:52,638 --> 00:08:54,910
women would now be required to be in

214
00:08:54,910 --> 00:08:58,894
combat or there would be unisex bathrooms,

215
00:08:58,894 --> 00:09:02,366
things that caused fear. And, you know,

216
00:09:02,366 --> 00:09:03,830
today, it's kind of interesting to look

217
00:09:03,830 --> 00:09:07,638
back in 2024 across the years and think,

218
00:09:07,638 --> 00:09:09,750
well, we do have unisex bathrooms, and

219
00:09:09,750 --> 00:09:13,134
it's not all that bad. As a woman. My

220
00:09:13,134 --> 00:09:15,200
perspective is it means the lines for the

221
00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,440
restroom are a whole lot less long then,

222
00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,792
because if you, anybody who's a woman

223
00:09:19,792 --> 00:09:21,376
who's gone to the bathroom at an event or

224
00:09:21,376 --> 00:09:23,152
a stadium, you see these very short lines

225
00:09:23,152 --> 00:09:24,592
for the men's room, and then the women's

226
00:09:24,592 --> 00:09:26,544
room is so much of a longer line. So

227
00:09:26,544 --> 00:09:28,136
unisex bathrooms mean that we don't have

228
00:09:28,136 --> 00:09:31,616
to separate based on that. And then women

229
00:09:31,616 --> 00:09:33,544
are in combat. I mean, since the eighties,

230
00:09:33,544 --> 00:09:36,744
we've kind of seen that, and it's kind of

231
00:09:36,744 --> 00:09:38,528
wonderful, and that women are allowed to

232
00:09:38,528 --> 00:09:42,272
have a position in that way and

233
00:09:42,272 --> 00:09:44,724
everybody's okay if, you know, that

234
00:09:44,724 --> 00:09:46,816
happens. It's sort of normalized now. And

235
00:09:46,816 --> 00:09:50,656
so some of the fears around that happening

236
00:09:50,656 --> 00:09:53,240
are pretty on this side of history,

237
00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,104
unfounded. And so, but it was a very

238
00:09:55,104 --> 00:09:56,456
effective way of stopping the campaign.

239
00:09:56,456 --> 00:09:57,528
And, you know, there's different

240
00:09:57,528 --> 00:10:00,328
narratives now as well, and that are kind

241
00:10:00,328 --> 00:10:02,400
of sort of nuanced versions of that. But

242
00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,736
really, it was largely the movement of

243
00:10:04,736 --> 00:10:07,576
Phyllis Schlafly that, you know, very much

244
00:10:07,576 --> 00:10:09,810
hindered the passage of the era at a

245
00:10:09,810 --> 00:10:11,426
pivotal point in history. I would

246
00:10:11,426 --> 00:10:14,130
encourage you to watch the show misses

247
00:10:14,130 --> 00:10:16,658
America. It features both Phyllis

248
00:10:16,658 --> 00:10:18,922
Schlafly, played by Kate Blanchett, who

249
00:10:18,922 --> 00:10:21,242
does an amazing job as an actress in that

250
00:10:21,242 --> 00:10:24,338
show, that short series, and then other

251
00:10:24,338 --> 00:10:26,374
figures in the movement, such as Gloria

252
00:10:26,374 --> 00:10:29,410
Steinem, which, when this podcast episode

253
00:10:29,410 --> 00:10:31,554
airs, will have already turned 90 years

254
00:10:31,554 --> 00:10:33,890
old and celebrating her birthday. I got to

255
00:10:33,890 --> 00:10:36,282
meet her in Abu Dhabi last year, in March,

256
00:10:36,282 --> 00:10:40,252
a year ago at the Forbes 3050 conference,

257
00:10:40,252 --> 00:10:41,796
where I was at for International Women's

258
00:10:41,796 --> 00:10:44,404
Day in Abu Dhabi, and got to have a short

259
00:10:44,404 --> 00:10:45,516
conversation with her which really meant a

260
00:10:45,516 --> 00:10:47,964
lot to me. I shared sort of about the

261
00:10:47,964 --> 00:10:49,988
women in my own family and our personal

262
00:10:49,988 --> 00:10:52,732
history around, you know, women's rights

263
00:10:52,732 --> 00:10:55,316
and that type of thing. And she just

264
00:10:55,316 --> 00:10:57,204
shared, you know, this is a collective

265
00:10:57,204 --> 00:10:59,060
effort. It's all of us. It's, you know,

266
00:10:59,060 --> 00:11:01,228
your mom, your grandma, your. We do this

267
00:11:01,228 --> 00:11:02,492
for our daughters and our granddaughters

268
00:11:02,492 --> 00:11:05,342
and that type of thing. And so it really

269
00:11:05,342 --> 00:11:08,526
was so encouraging to meet her. But she's

270
00:11:08,526 --> 00:11:11,006
featured as well in the Misses America

271
00:11:11,006 --> 00:11:13,094
series because she was instrumental in

272
00:11:13,094 --> 00:11:16,702
advocating for the era and still is. And

273
00:11:16,702 --> 00:11:19,926
so there have been many women and male

274
00:11:19,926 --> 00:11:22,230
allies who have worked hard to enshrine

275
00:11:22,230 --> 00:11:23,974
women's rights and girls rights in the

276
00:11:23,974 --> 00:11:25,566
constitution of the United States. But

277
00:11:25,566 --> 00:11:27,134
it's still a bit of an uphill battle with

278
00:11:27,134 --> 00:11:29,982
some obstacles. So I guess the question

279
00:11:29,982 --> 00:11:32,310
now is, what can we do to champion gender

280
00:11:32,310 --> 00:11:34,470
equality and support the ongoing fight for

281
00:11:34,470 --> 00:11:36,866
women's rights around the world, and

282
00:11:36,866 --> 00:11:38,330
particularly today. And I don't really do

283
00:11:38,330 --> 00:11:39,970
this very often here on the show, which is

284
00:11:39,970 --> 00:11:41,530
to highlight the nation where I'm

285
00:11:41,530 --> 00:11:43,722
currently living and what we can do. Cause

286
00:11:43,722 --> 00:11:45,498
it is an election year in the United

287
00:11:45,498 --> 00:11:47,570
States and there are choices being made

288
00:11:47,570 --> 00:11:50,474
about who to vote for. And I would really

289
00:11:50,474 --> 00:11:52,242
urge each of us who are us citizens that

290
00:11:52,242 --> 00:11:53,930
will be voting here in the United States

291
00:11:53,930 --> 00:11:56,410
or voting abroad, mailing in our ballots,

292
00:11:56,410 --> 00:11:59,234
which I did for 20 years, living in

293
00:11:59,234 --> 00:12:01,314
Southeast Asia, I would go to the US

294
00:12:01,314 --> 00:12:03,170
embassy in Singapore and mail in my ballot

295
00:12:03,170 --> 00:12:05,712
from there. And when I lived in Sumatra, I

296
00:12:05,712 --> 00:12:08,080
mailed it in as well. And so, yeah, I

297
00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,440
mean, there's choices being made very soon

298
00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:11,920
about who we're gonna vote for. And I

299
00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,592
would really urge you to vote for

300
00:12:14,592 --> 00:12:16,896
politicians that are supportive of the era

301
00:12:16,896 --> 00:12:20,192
because it's 2024, and all these other

302
00:12:20,192 --> 00:12:22,208
countries around the world have signed the

303
00:12:22,208 --> 00:12:23,584
CEDAW agreement, and the United States

304
00:12:23,584 --> 00:12:25,576
still hasn't. And also, we don't have an

305
00:12:25,576 --> 00:12:28,360
era for our own constitution, so what can

306
00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,418
we do? And that's what this podcast is

307
00:12:30,418 --> 00:12:32,086
all, all about, is bringing our

308
00:12:32,086 --> 00:12:33,334
differences around the table to make a

309
00:12:33,334 --> 00:12:35,190
difference together. So as a call to

310
00:12:35,190 --> 00:12:37,054
action, one impactful way is to really

311
00:12:37,054 --> 00:12:38,870
just support organizations dedicated to

312
00:12:38,870 --> 00:12:40,878
this cause, such as Justice Revival, where

313
00:12:40,878 --> 00:12:43,918
I sit on the board. By donating to Justice

314
00:12:43,918 --> 00:12:49,222
Revival at www.justicerevival.org donate,

315
00:12:49,222 --> 00:12:50,830
you can contribute to the initiatives

316
00:12:50,830 --> 00:12:53,326
aimed at advancing gender equality,

317
00:12:53,326 --> 00:12:55,038
including efforts to promote the

318
00:12:55,038 --> 00:12:56,934
ratification of the era and uphold the

319
00:12:56,934 --> 00:12:59,626
principles of CDC doll. Because, you know,

320
00:12:59,626 --> 00:13:02,482
human rights, women's rights, which are

321
00:13:02,482 --> 00:13:05,778
human rights, is so important. There's a

322
00:13:05,778 --> 00:13:07,106
lot of things we can get wrong, but that

323
00:13:07,106 --> 00:13:09,850
should just be a basic foundation. It's

324
00:13:09,850 --> 00:13:11,322
very important. A lot of things get put on

325
00:13:11,322 --> 00:13:13,458
the back burner when it comes to women. A

326
00:13:13,458 --> 00:13:15,178
lot of things have gotten put on the back

327
00:13:15,178 --> 00:13:17,786
burner for a hundred years of the era,

328
00:13:17,786 --> 00:13:21,154
which is why it has not been passed. So,

329
00:13:21,154 --> 00:13:23,002
and once again, if you listen to last year

330
00:13:23,002 --> 00:13:24,946
in March, the episode I did with Allyson

331
00:13:24,946 --> 00:13:26,986
McKinney, she was describing the Senate

332
00:13:26,986 --> 00:13:28,386
hearing that had happened the first time

333
00:13:28,386 --> 00:13:31,210
in 40 years around the era and why it

334
00:13:31,210 --> 00:13:32,818
still didn't go through. There's a very

335
00:13:32,818 --> 00:13:36,634
concerted effort to thwart this or even

336
00:13:36,634 --> 00:13:38,506
sideline it and put it on the back burner.

337
00:13:38,506 --> 00:13:41,082
So I don't think half the nation, half the

338
00:13:41,082 --> 00:13:43,194
world should be put on any backburner. So

339
00:13:43,194 --> 00:13:47,394
it's time 2024 to pass the era. So I would

340
00:13:47,394 --> 00:13:49,762
love to hear what you think about all of

341
00:13:49,762 --> 00:13:52,042
this and this episode in particular. And

342
00:13:52,042 --> 00:13:53,370
if you're interested in learning more

343
00:13:53,370 --> 00:13:55,626
about justice revival, please reach out. I

344
00:13:55,626 --> 00:13:57,258
would love for you to donate and help our

345
00:13:57,258 --> 00:13:58,570
efforts because it does take money to get

346
00:13:58,570 --> 00:14:00,914
these things done. But at Justice Revival,

347
00:14:00,914 --> 00:14:03,002
we have faith for era campaign. So if

348
00:14:03,002 --> 00:14:04,266
you're a person of faith, or even if

349
00:14:04,266 --> 00:14:06,370
you're not, you're welcome to join our

350
00:14:06,370 --> 00:14:08,450
hash faith for Era campaign with the

351
00:14:08,450 --> 00:14:13,394
number four and any faith community we

352
00:14:13,394 --> 00:14:15,194
encourage to come and be a part of

353
00:14:15,194 --> 00:14:17,338
bringing your experience, your perspective

354
00:14:17,338 --> 00:14:19,586
around this movement. Because certainly we

355
00:14:19,586 --> 00:14:21,450
can all agree, whatever our faith

356
00:14:21,450 --> 00:14:24,082
background is, that women's rights matter

357
00:14:24,082 --> 00:14:25,882
and that humans deserve dignity and

358
00:14:25,882 --> 00:14:28,498
respect, and women in particular have

359
00:14:28,498 --> 00:14:32,784
really been sidelined and forgotten and

360
00:14:32,784 --> 00:14:37,140
overlooked and really not fought for in

361
00:14:37,140 --> 00:14:39,664
ways that we should be fought for. And so

362
00:14:39,664 --> 00:14:41,980
together, we can come together with our

363
00:14:41,980 --> 00:14:44,652
differences, male allies, women on behalf

364
00:14:44,652 --> 00:14:46,692
of our daughters and granddaughters and

365
00:14:46,692 --> 00:14:49,052
future generations, but also for us now.

366
00:14:49,052 --> 00:14:51,052
So would love for you, wherever you are

367
00:14:51,052 --> 00:14:52,372
around the world. If you're in a country

368
00:14:52,372 --> 00:14:54,748
where the era has been passed, something

369
00:14:54,748 --> 00:14:56,668
along those lines long ago, or your

370
00:14:56,668 --> 00:14:58,524
constitution when it was drafted, included

371
00:14:58,524 --> 00:15:00,276
equal rights for women. If your country

372
00:15:00,276 --> 00:15:03,764
has signed on to CW, if you are working in

373
00:15:03,764 --> 00:15:05,724
any capacity for women's rights around the

374
00:15:05,724 --> 00:15:07,984
world, would love for your perspective. So

375
00:15:07,984 --> 00:15:11,044
please pop into any social media posts

376
00:15:11,044 --> 00:15:13,068
around this podcast. You can also join our

377
00:15:13,068 --> 00:15:14,308
difference maker community where we're

378
00:15:14,308 --> 00:15:17,372
going to be able to dm there in that

379
00:15:17,372 --> 00:15:21,036
community at www.patreon.com the

380
00:15:21,036 --> 00:15:22,244
worldofdifference where we'll have a more

381
00:15:22,244 --> 00:15:24,356
deep conversation around this. So also

382
00:15:24,356 --> 00:15:25,996
join in there for as little as $5 a month,

383
00:15:25,996 --> 00:15:29,280
but together. So hopefully what we can

384
00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,552
come away with as a call to action is to

385
00:15:31,552 --> 00:15:34,016
put our money where our mouth is, donate

386
00:15:34,016 --> 00:15:35,864
to organizations like justice revival,

387
00:15:35,864 --> 00:15:39,336
doing the work in DC, and together

388
00:15:39,336 --> 00:15:40,912
standing in solidarity with women

389
00:15:40,912 --> 00:15:42,576
everywhere, ensuring that the promise of

390
00:15:42,576 --> 00:15:44,360
equality becomes a reality for all because

391
00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,960
we can make a difference. And the way we

392
00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:48,912
make choices moving forward really matters

393
00:15:48,912 --> 00:15:51,336
for ourselves and future generations. So

394
00:15:51,336 --> 00:15:52,880
thank you for joining us for this

395
00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,240
enlightening conversation today around the

396
00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,696
fact that the US has not enshrined women

397
00:15:57,696 --> 00:16:00,480
and girls rights in the constitution. But

398
00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,064
hopefully very soon that will not be the

399
00:16:02,064 --> 00:16:03,616
case because all of you difference makers

400
00:16:03,616 --> 00:16:05,816
will come together around the world and

401
00:16:05,816 --> 00:16:07,120
help us make a difference here in the

402
00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,136
United States. I know people go all around

403
00:16:09,136 --> 00:16:11,608
the world from the US trying to work in

404
00:16:11,608 --> 00:16:14,128
different capacities, but it's rarely as a

405
00:16:14,128 --> 00:16:16,576
us citizen. It's to me, very shameful that

406
00:16:16,576 --> 00:16:18,280
we don't have this here in this nation. So

407
00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,160
it's time. 2024 it's time. Would love your

408
00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:22,520
thoughts around this. Thank you once again

409
00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,160
for joining this, all of you listeners

410
00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:25,920
around the world. You make me a better

411
00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,216
person, a better human being with your

412
00:16:28,216 --> 00:16:29,216
perspectives. Thanks for coming around

413
00:16:29,216 --> 00:16:31,392
this table with me and keep making making

414
00:16:31,392 --> 00:16:34,872
a difference wherever you are today. I

415
00:16:34,872 --> 00:16:36,872
have a special invitation for all of you

416
00:16:36,872 --> 00:16:39,480
who've been with us on this journey. I'm

417
00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,568
excited to let you know about our

418
00:16:41,568 --> 00:16:43,792
difference maker community. It's a very

419
00:16:43,792 --> 00:16:45,640
special place where you can connect more

420
00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,272
deeply with our mission and our guests

421
00:16:47,272 --> 00:16:49,448
that come on the show. For as little as

422
00:16:49,448 --> 00:16:51,552
dollar five a month, you'll get access to

423
00:16:51,552 --> 00:16:54,072
exclusive episodes where we go beyond the

424
00:16:54,072 --> 00:16:56,808
surface with our interviews, offer

425
00:16:56,808 --> 00:16:58,880
insights and stories that you won't hear

426
00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,170
anywhere else. That's not it, because

427
00:17:01,170 --> 00:17:02,666
you're also going to be able to interact

428
00:17:02,666 --> 00:17:05,322
with our exclusive posts, share your own

429
00:17:05,322 --> 00:17:06,922
thoughts, and even influence the direction

430
00:17:06,922 --> 00:17:10,506
of this podcast because your voice truly

431
00:17:10,506 --> 00:17:12,546
matters. Joining difference makers means

432
00:17:12,546 --> 00:17:14,106
you're not just a listener anymore, you're

433
00:17:14,106 --> 00:17:16,254
an active participant in this

434
00:17:16,254 --> 00:17:18,474
conversation, really helping to shape a

435
00:17:18,474 --> 00:17:20,586
community of like minded individuals who

436
00:17:20,586 --> 00:17:22,586
are all about making a positive impact and

437
00:17:22,586 --> 00:17:24,214
bringing our differences to the table

438
00:17:24,214 --> 00:17:25,834
together. So if you're ready to make a

439
00:17:25,834 --> 00:17:27,450
difference with the rest of us, please

440
00:17:27,450 --> 00:17:31,474
visit www.patreon.com aworldofdifferences

441
00:17:31,474 --> 00:17:33,306
friends today and become a part of

442
00:17:33,306 --> 00:17:35,426
something really special. Thank you for

443
00:17:35,426 --> 00:17:37,402
supporting the show and remember, together

goodpods top 100 places & travel indie podcasts Goodpods Top 100 Places & Travel Indie Podcasts Listen now to A World of Difference podcast